What I Built for Myself
My journey from curious non-developer to building AI systems that run my entire business. Here's how I got there, so you can decide if this path makes sense for you.
The Honest Truth
I can't write code. Never could. I'm a salesperson who spent 28 years explaining technology to other people.
If I can do this, there's a good chance you can too. But it depends on how you think.
My Journey
Curious but Cautious
I'd been around AI for years through work: Piero, TracAB, the computer vision and machine learning companies I'd sold for. But I couldn't build anything myself. I was the guy who explained it to clients, not the guy who made it.
ChatGPT Wasn't It
I tried ChatGPT like everyone else. Copy-paste prompts, occasional useful outputs, mostly frustration. It felt like a novelty, not a tool. I knew there had to be more.
The AI-Powered IDE Changed Everything
The turning point was using an AI-powered IDE. Not because it was magic, but because it was familiar. The interface looked like Finder. Organising folders, writing documents, moving files around. The only difference? I could ask for help while I was doing it. That's when everything clicked.
Down the Rabbit Hole
I spent months rebuilding everything. My sales research process. My follow-up system. My content creation. My admin. Each week I'd automate something else. Each week I'd get faster. The compound effect was extraordinary.
Building Workflows
Then I discovered how to build scripts, automations and workflows that connected everything. Meeting summaries that write themselves. Research pipelines that run overnight. Calendar management that just works. I was building what would have needed a team of developers.
A Different Way of Working
Today I run my entire business through systems I built myself. Not because I learned to code, but because I learned to communicate clearly with AI. The sales skills I'd developed over 28 years turned out to be the perfect foundation.
What I Actually Built
Systems that run every day, not experiments gathering dust.
Sales Research Pipeline
Company deep-dives that used to take hours, now done in minutes. Competitive intel. Market analysis. All structured and consistent.
Content System
Blog posts, LinkedIn content, proposals. All starting from my voice, my style, my past work. Not generic AI slop.
n8n Automations
Meeting summaries that write themselves. Follow-up emails that draft automatically. Admin that happens in the background.
Custom Claude Skills
Reusable templates for everything I do regularly. Call prep, prospect research, document analysis. All one command away.
Is This Path Right for You?
✓ This might be for you if...
You explain things well
If you can describe what you want clearly, you can build it. Sales skills, writing skills, any communication skills. They translate directly.
You're frustrated with copy-paste AI
You know ChatGPT isn't the answer. You want systems, not one-off prompts. You want to automate, not just assist.
You're willing to be uncomfortable
The terminal scared me. The coding environment felt foreign. I pushed through anyway. You'll need to do the same.
You're process-minded
You think in steps and workflows. You see patterns in your work. You know which tasks repeat.
× This probably isn't for you if...
You want instant results
This took me months. The payoff is enormous, but there's a learning curve.
You're not prepared to experiment
Some things won't work first time. You'll need to iterate, adjust, try again.
You hate ambiguity
AI isn't deterministic. Same input, slightly different output. You need to be okay with that.
The Real Question
Can you describe what you want clearly? Can you break a task into steps? Can you push through discomfort when something feels unfamiliar?
If yes, you can probably do what I did.
Why I'm Sharing This
I fell down the AI rabbit hole and it changed everything. Completely. The way I work, the way I think about problems, the things I can build without writing code. It's the most exciting shift I've seen in 28 years of tech.
I can't stop talking about it. I want everyone to experience what I've experienced. That moment when you realise you can build things that would have required a team of developers before. When you understand that AI isn't magic, it's just building blocks you can learn to connect.
But here's the thing: once you see it, you see it everywhere. AI isn't just going to change how you work. It's going to change every part of your company. Sales, ops, HR, finance, customer support. Every department will need people who understand this.
That's why I do both. Through advisory, I help leaders understand AI and start building for themselves. Through recruitment, I help companies find the people who can execute that vision across the business. The two go hand in hand.
Want to See If This Is for You?
30 minutes. I'll ask about how you work, what frustrates you, what you've tried. You'll know by the end whether this path makes sense.
Book a Discovery Call